Namaste

It is hot and stifling
I can feel my body complaining
My mind is racing
"Should I have skipped this?"
"Maybe I am too tired to come today."
My skin feel a little itchy too. no sweat yet, just itchy

It's been only 10 days but all the poses feel a bit foreign to me.
My muscles are tight - must be the new kickboxing class I did Thursday
I vaguely hear the teacher telling us to do the next pose
Counting the minutes - only on our 3rd pose

My mind is darting around everywhere
thank goodness my body knows all the poses well
It can just move automatically
Just breathe - I remind myself - breathe deeper longer
....
60 minutes in, I am dripping in sweat
A sense of calm finally washes over me
My body feels more flexible, just finishing the standing poses
It was a relief to be on the ground for the last half hour
my mind is more focused, slowed
My body is finally enjoying the heat, the stretching, the poses
.....
90 minutes and I lay there in perfect peace
thankful I made it today
thankful I came despite being tired and my mind undecided, racing
I walk out of class, taking a rewarding bite into a sweet Chinese pear
The cold air feels exhilarating
Another awesome Bikram Yoga class!
Namaste

- Lei

Size 6 and dropping

Hopefully... I have been striving to get into my regular size 6 jeans for awhile now. Finally, 10 days ago, I was able to wear them out without suffocating. :-) Yeah, progress is good.

I have been saving all my size 6 clothes from 4 years old when I was about 130 pounds. Now they are really coming in handy. Now I just have another 12 pounds to go, before getting to my pre-pregnancy weight and around size 2. Keeping my fingers crossed

I am doing Yoga 2-3 times a week, Wii Fit once a week, and crunches 5 times a week. Hopefully, I can keep it up. The best part though is I feel good, like my old self again. Can't wait to go dancing. :-)

- Lei

It's like coming home again!

When I walked in the room last Monday, I knew instantly that I missed it. It was my first Bikram Yoga class since giving birth, but walking into that room made me feel like I was coming home - it felt so familiar and welcoming.

I am so glad I did Bikram yoga up until the last week of my pregnancy. It may not have helped with my delivery, but it definitely helped me come back to Yoga more easily. I missed the heat, the sweat, the stretching, and the general calmness and patience it inspires in me.

Now that Isabel is 3 months old, I started to do serious exercising again - Bikram Yoga twice a week (Mondays and Thursdays) and Wii Fit for at 30 min twice a week. If I have more time, I will do Windsor Pilates and one long walk each once a week. While I still cannot do all the poses well in Yoga, I am staying in the room through the heat for all 90 min, which on its own makes me feel accomplished. The poses that squeezes my stomach are the hardest, but since I have done Yoga for 2+ years, at least I know how to push myself without risking injury. On my 3rd class this past Monday, I was able to do all the sit ups in the class (about 14 of them). Still cannot do one roll up in Pilates though but am working on it. Baby steps, remember?

The picture on the top right is that of my teacher (Lamott Atkins). He is probably the best Yoga teacher I have ever had. He also used to be a model in Europe, which is where this photo is from. Not only is his voice calming, but who wouldn't be inspired by a teacher with a body like that. Let's see how many classes it will take me to regain my body back. I will keep you posted. so far, I had 3 classes and dropped 1% in body fat. :-)

-Lei

Inspired

Last week, I started doing Windsor Pilates at home. It's only a 20 minute work out, so I thought it was a good place to start my exercise routine.

I was shocked to find out during my first try that I couldn't do a single roll up (a slow sit up that requires you to use your stomach muscles to curl up your back all the way to sitting). I knew these were hard but I was still surprised when all I could do now was lift my head. I had no stomach muscles! I ended up using my hands to push myself up through the exercise.

Afterwards, I was sad and wanted to cry. I guess I didn't really understand how much a pregnancy and a C section would affect my body. That same day, I came across a story in my Stanford Magazine about Ben Wildman-Tobriner, a Stanford alum and an Olympic swimmer who is destined for a medal in 2008. He had the worse injury of his life last year in the fall. He torn his left pectoral tendon completely off the humerus and had to have surgery. I can't imagine how he must have felt with the Olympics less than a year away. Did he sit around and mope? No way! As soon as his surgery is done, he started training his body again "arm in sling, running sprints next to the pool while breathing out of a snorkel with half of the snorkel hole covered" For the full story, click here

Long story short, he only looked ahead and trained one day at a time until this May when he almost recovered his full strength and is ready to compete in August in China. Needless to say, I was inspired, like Ben, I must look ahead. I may not be an Olympian, but I have determination and a fresh perspective now.

I already made so much progress since giving birth. I couldn't even get out of bed without help the first day I came home. 11 days later, I only could walk outside for 10 minutes and very slowly. Now, I can walk pretty much any where including hills in my regular speed. I realized that everything takes time and baby steps. As long as I don't give up, I will get there.

Since then, i have done the Pilates work out three times - still using my hand to do the roll ups and I am planning to attend my first Bikram Yoga class today. I know it will be hard but just to show up for class is another baby step forward. :-) I am also planning to take Isabel to a baby yoga/massage class this Thursday and perhaps I will try the Bar method in a few weeks.

I am looking forward to getting my body back!

- Lei

Bikram Yoga and Pregnancy

Bikram Yoga rocks... at least at the studio I take it, which is in the Castro at 20th and Eureka. with Lamott as the Instructor. I have done Bikram Yoga for about 2 years there before I got pregnant. Once I found out I was pregnant though, I had to stop, especially in the first trimester since the heat may endanger my tiny baby.

I was pleasantly surprised, however, when my doctor said I could return to doing it with modified poses starting my second trimester.

I am so glad I did. I started going back once a week since first week of January (around my 22 week) and it has been awesome for my back and for my whole feeling of well-being.

Before then, I was getting so anxious as I haven't worked out much for 4 months and I used to exercise 3 times a week. On top of that, I was feeling like my body was growing out of control - I am sure a common feeling in pregnancy.

After starting Bikram again, I feel much more at ease with my growing body and feel less clumsy as well. I also love the heat in my studio. It's radiant heat, so it's not that unpleasant blast of occasional dry overbearing heat from regular heaters. It's like working out in a super warm tropical climate instead. Since I have done it before, the heat is actually welcoming instead of unbearable. Baby seems to like it as well and kicks me occasionally during my poses.

Since I cannot squeeze my belly, I modify about 50% of the poses which eases the exercise but still last 90 min to help me stretch and strengthen. Overall, it's been great.

Amazingly my doctor said I can continue Bikram for as long as I want during my pregnancy as long as I don't feel faint or super tired afterwards, so we will see how long I will continue. The icing on the cake too is that Jaime goes with me every Wed to Yoga. So we get a little mid-week husband and wife outing filled with healthy exercise and a good meal afterwards :-)

- Lei

Q&A with my OB

This post is more for my notes, so I keep track of what I hear from my OB.

Warning: this post maybe a bit too detailed and graphic. Consider yourself warned and read at your own risk

Pregnancy

1. posterior placenta - normal? safe? what % of woman have it? why?
YES, IT'S NORMAL. 50% OF WOMEN HAVE IT.


2. I seem to look bigger than average for my pregnancy time? am I bigger than average? normal? chance of delivering early?
   THIS DEPENDS ON YOUR MOM - BEST PREDICTOR OF WHETHER YOU WILL DELIVER EARLY (MY MOM DELIVER ON THE DATE OF HER DUE DATE - WE WILL SEE)


3. Shellfish restriction? is shrimp ok and considered shellfish? your nurse said 12 oz shrimp is ok but no shellfish?
   ALL COOKED SHELLFISH AND FISH ARE OK EXCEPT MONKFISH, MACKEREL, SHARK, AND TILEFISH. NO MORE THAN 12 OZ OF ANY OF THE OTHER FISH OR SHELLFISH.
   
4. cheese like brie - is it safe and pasteurized?
   SOME ARE AND SOME ARE NOT. READ THE LABEL. ANYTHING MADE WITH PASTEURIZED CHEESE IS OK


5. I still sleep on my back and right side sometime in addition to left. is this ok?
   NO PROBLEM AS LONG AS YOU ARE COMFORTABLE. YOU WILL KNOW WHEN YOU CANNOT DO IT ANYMORE
   
6. Golden gate mothers group - any good?
HEARD IT'S GOOD


7. can I go to a natural hot springs? what should I be careful of?
PROBABLY NOT. YOU CANNOT IMMERSE YOUR TUMMY SO IT WON'T BE WORTH IT


8. What about universal studios? what are restriction on the rides?
PROBABLY CANNOT GO ON A LOT OF THE RIDES.


9. sex: how much pressure is safe for my stomach? say if I am on top?
TOTALLY SAFE TO PUSH PRESSURE UNTIL YOU FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE


10. I seem to have bumps around my nipple - is this normal?
TOTALLY NORMAL. YOUR BREAST ARE BUILDING MILK DUCTS


11. I get up several times a night to drink water. Is this normal?
YES


12. I also pee several times a night? normal? I gave you the sample from 6am today? is this ok? YES, AS LONG AS YOU GET WITH NO FOOD IN STOMACH


13. I had a muscle cramp last night from yoga - small cramp. normal?
YES, NORMAL


14. I used biofreeze to soothe it. is it safe? what about icy hot?
CAN USE IT SPARINGLY. DON'T USE IT ON A LARGE PART OF THE BODY AS IT CONTAINS ASPIRIN


15. I went to bikram yoga twice since the last visit. I like it. How could I tell if I am overdoing it? I like it, but it is hot in the room and I am sweating, although I don't feel faint or anything. Is it ok?
    OK. AS LONG AS YOU DON'T FEEL TOO TIRED AFTERWARDS, IT'S FINE.
    
16. How tight is too tight for my pants? WHATEVER FEEL COMFORTABLE. INDENTS FROM PANTS ARE FINE AND NORMAL

Labor and delivery

1. epidural vs spinal block? I react funny to vicadin - is epidural anything like vicadin? what's the difference between those too?
   ONLY EPIDURAL IS GIVEN. SPINAL BLOCK IS ONLY GIVEN IF YOU HAVE A C SECTION. DIFFERENT DRUG CAN BE FED THROUGH EPIDURAL - DOESN'T HAVE TO BE VICADIN
   
2. if my water breaks, how far am I from delivery? should I go to hospital right away?
WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS IN LATER VISIT. DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT NOW


3. if I have contraction in my 9th months, do I still have time to take a shower before heading to hospital? YES
   
4. I heard after you check into the hospital, you are not allowed to eat or drink except thru IV, is this true? if so, why? NO EATING, BUT DRINKING IS FINE. ALL THE NUTRIENTS YOU NEED WILL BE THROUGH YOUR IV. LABOR WILL LAST NO MORE THAN 12-16 HOURS


5. do a lot of people poop on the table? is it ok to go to the bathroom during labor?
   ABOUT 20% OF THE TIME. YOU CAN GO TO THE BATHROOM DURING LABOR AS LONG AS IT'S IN A BED PANE AND NOT AT THE TOILET

Baby

1. ss# registration at hospital? YES, THIS IS AVAILABLE


2. any recommended baby formula brand? THIS IS A QUESTION FOR A PEDIATRICIAN